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June 16, 2003
Restructuring for the Better
The third largest public school district in the United States, the Chicago Public Schools system has 437,000 Ký12 students in more than 600 schools. Shortly after he was named chief executive officer for the school district in June 2001, Arne Duncan restructured the office responsible for securing all funding. Prior to this change, the budget department was responsible for securing all competitive and formula grants, and the School Partners Program, which forged partnerships with local businesses, was a separate entity. This often made it difficult for staff seeking outside grants and alliances to work together. Duncan combined competitive grants and school partnerships into one External Resources and Partnerships department, while keeping formula grant applications in the purview of the budget department. In addition, Duncan recruited an executive director of external resources, Alyson Cooke, who came with a wealth of experience in working with nonprofits and corporations.
How does this help fund technology initiatives? Like other districts, CPS concentrates on integrating technology throughout instructional and professional development programs. Cooke works with a team of four proposal writers. When a new request for proposals comes out, Cooke meets with the team to discuss whether or not the grant aligns with CPS goals, and where technology use might fit in. Departments are notified of potential opportunities and, if interest is expressed, Cooke meets with them to discuss application strategies.
Because they have an in-depth understanding of the districtýs current resources, the team is also able to identify how a new grant can be leveraged to strengthen existing grants or partnerships. In its first year, the office has secured $70 million in competitive grants, an increase of $10 million over what had been raised the year before. Funds are being used for a number of purposes, including upgrading infrastructure, hardware, software, professional development, instructional materials, after-school programs, and more. Recent projects include teacher professional development through a Reinventing Education Grant from IBM, and Project CLEAR, which provides a laptop to every high school teacher.
Cooke also uses her previous professional experience at the Chicago Community Trust and the Abell Foundation in Baltimore to approach corporations and foundations with fund-raising ideas, bringing in over $1 million this year for various projects. Cooke identifies three factors in her success with fund-raising. "First, have a compelling story to explain why the funds are needed," she says. "Second, make certain that the available funds fit your agenda. Donýt let the money take you off course. Finally, understand that corporations and foundations need to be stakeholders and that these relationships grow over time. Be willing to start small. A small initial donation or in-kind service can blossom into something much bigger."
Chicago Public Schools: Strategies for Success
- Bring in a fund-raiser who has a background working with nonprofits and corporations as well as grant writing.
- Explore ways technology initiatives can be supported by all funding sources, not just "technology grants," by coordinating the grant writing process across programs.
- Have a compelling story: know specifically what you need and why you need it to support student achievement.
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